Movie Maps: Where Films Are Shot Worldwide

We’ve all felt it: a sudden desire to travel, sparked by some exotic scene that’s playing across the silver screen. What’s more intriguing than the prospect of a real visit to the far-flung geographic gems that movies reveal? At HotelsCombined, we’ve got all your REAL travel needs covered – even to destinations you’ve only seen on film. In fact, we set out to uncover the hottest spots for film locations across the world, using Movie-Locations.com’s massive database to determine where the movie magic happens when Hollywood leaves… Hollywood.

First, we surveyed the number of major-studio films shot in every nation worldwide, and determined the 10 countries outside the U.S. with the most film locations total, ranked in order. Check them out in the graphic below.

While the character of Western Europe may be changing rapidly, its romance still holds sway over movie-makers, and by extension, audiences: Eight of the top 10 belong to that region. While some might argue that Ireland, Scotland, and Wales don’t qualify as separate nations (depends which pub you walk into), their respective movie résumés are more than ample enough to be assessed independently. For those who yearn for the rolling hills surrounding Hogwarts, a trip to Wales is in order. If The Matrix is more your speed, try Australia; for those in the know, Keanu’s virtual world looks a heck of a lot like Sydney.

What about the prevalence of film locations on American soil? Turns out, the American movie industry reaches far beyond Tinseltown’s borders. We determined the number of films shot in each U.S. state, as the heatmap below reveals:

Predictably, California tops our list: Between its varied natural beauty and proximity to the world’s most powerful studios, no other state can really keep up. New York put up a good fight, though, clocking in at second with New York City to thank (more on the Big Apple’s storied film geography in a moment). Many of the top 10’s remaining states offer close approximations of either foreign deserts (Arizona, Nevada, Texas) or tropical retreats (Florida), appealing to producers hoping to keep their operation stateside.

This all begs the question: Totals aside, where were America’s most famous films shot? Which states can lay claim to true cinematic gems? We’re not taking sides, but we do have a graphic that just might fuel that debate:

Recognize the Matthew McConaughey icon for Dazed and Confused? “It’d be a lot cooler if you did.” While the most iconic film from each state will always be subject to spirited debate, there’s no disputing the richness of the country’s film geography as a whole. From Alaska’s Insomnia to Florida’s Goldfinger, every region has some cinematic gold to call its own.

And then there are some places that get more than their fair share of film appearances: Los Angeles, London, and maybe most of all, New York City. When it comes to a high concentration of classics, NYC is unmatched. We decided to look at exactly where some of the city’s unforgettable films were shot. Here’s our illustrated map:

Whether you’re looking to enjoy Sex and the City’s shopping or A River Runs Through It’s magnificent wilderness, we’ve got the tools to get you there. At HotelsCombined, we know that travel isn’t just for movie stars… or their budgets. Pick any one of these movie backdrops, and we’ll help you create an adventure all your own!

The you may want to move Dances With Wolves from Wyoming to South Dakota, as that is where almost all of that classic filmed (and is also where the main film tourism site is). Armageddon shot in SD for minimal time…and it’s certainly not set there either.

As for Wyoming, insert Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as Devils Tour is one of the leading examples of film tourism.

The Firm was filmed almost entirely in Tennessee, where it is also set. And yet you have it for Arkansas?? Cast Away filmed in TN for a day or two. It needs to go. Give Arkansas Sling Blade.

Brokeback Mountain for New Mexico? Really? It filmed in Canada and is set in Wyoming. How about Red Dawn for NM….or any other movie that actually filmed mainly in that state?

Bridesmaids for Wisconsin? Two days of shooting. The rest was filmed in California and most of the plot takes place in Chicago. Michael Mann’s Public Enemies is partly set and substantially filmed in Wisconsin. That or any other film that spent actual time there would be better.

Forrest Gump didn’t film in North Carolina. At all. But Lincoln did shoot in Virginia and never set foot in South Carolina. It did shoot a fair amount in Georgia, which is where the iconic bench scene in Savannah took place. But if you prefer to keep Road Trip which has no memorable scenes or locations as the iconic film for Georgia…well, Forrest has a quote about that.

Proof that sites like this have zero credibility. “Dances With Wolves”, winner of seven Academy Awards including Best Picture in 1991, was filmed entirely in South Dakota! Only ONE scene was filmed in Wyoming! Just for fun or not, a good writer would fact-check before publishing their story.

It’s true, it looks like the filming was based in Ohio. We used movie-locations.com when putting together the map, which suggested that some of the scenes were shot in Indiana. Very happy to hear all suggestions though!

I was surprised to learn that Pearl Harbor is on the list of movies which were filmed, at least in part, in Indiana. The Gary Works of U.S. Steel, on the south shore of Lake Michigan, was the stand-in for the industrial section of Tokyo in the scenes of bombing raids on Tokyo.

I’d say that ‘Dances with Wolves’ would be the most “iconic” film shot in South Dakota. Only one short scene in ‘Armageddon’ was shot here. The battle scenes in ‘Starship Troopers’ were filmed in the badlands here.

I know that movies older than, say, the 1980s may not come to mind, but the movie that I see as most iconic of California was Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”. At the very least, the scenery was. and still is, magnificent there.

Great job on all of these maps — love the idea, presentation and information.
Arkansans in general would probably pick SLINGBLADE as the most iconic film shot in the state — because of what it did for native son Billy Bob Thornton’s career, its Oscar recognition, its place in pop culture, and its role in the independent film surge of the 1990s.

THE FIRM is a good choice on a technicality (it only shot a few days on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi River — mostly shot in Memphis). But even a more recent film like MUD, would be considered a movie “made in Arkansas” more than THE FIRM. (TRUE GRIT was set in Arkansas but neither iteration of it was filmed in the state.)

A League of Their Own was shot in Indiana, not Kentucky. There’ve been quite a few films shot in KY, though. Michael Mann’s The Insider is probably the best of the bunch – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0140352/. The most iconic would be Coal Miner’s Daughter.

I know the area around Aurora Il has been getting a lot of attention thanks to DC Universe. The Smallville sceens are Plano Il. Some filming around Aurora And the Funeral Procession for Superman was filmed in Yorkville. In fact where the grave of Superman was filmed was Yorkville Il.

What a bunch of horsehockey. Many of the films of which you speak we’re not filmed in the states you show them. Some aren’t even based on those places?
Who did your research? The Bastard love child of rainman and Gump?
Alot of the movies filmed in Canada mainly Vancouver.